Best of 2017 powered indirect of Svitzer tugs at Felixstowe.

At Felixstowe there is a 90 degree corner at the enterance of the harbour. Svitzer who operate at the Port of Felixstowe have two escort tug, Svitzer Deben and Svitzer Kent, which helps some of the world's largest container ships in to Britain's premier port.

Both tugs built in Vietnam and shipped with 20 other tugs, tender vessels and pontoons to Rotterdam on the 'Happy Star' heavy lift ship. The Svitzer Deben's home was Felixstowe and the Svitzer Kent's home was the River Thames.

As both ports began to see bigger vessel the requirement for greater bollard pull tugs was needed. Sadly Felixstowe said goodbye to the Svitzer Intrepid to the Thames and Svitzer Stanford to Immingham.

Felixstowe requiring another 80 tonne bollard pull tug Kent made her way North to Felixstowe and now calls it her home.

Two Svitzer tugs from Brazil were heading across the Atlantic Ocean to Chatham where they were renamed and now they serve the Thames which is strange as one of them is called Svitzer Ganges.

Most of the Harwich Haven Pilots like to have either the Deben or Kent made fast aft so when they approach the 90 degree Beach End turn in or out of the harbour. In shipping terminology the tugs perform the manoeuvre powered indirect. The tugs move out either to the port side if they are inbound or starboard side if they are outbound and increase to full power to average 90-100 tonnes on their towing line to help the ships steer around the Beach End also producing a list/angle of 15 degrees.

Here is the best powered indirects of 2017. I hope you enjoy them.